What Size Should My Bathroom Ventilation Fan Be?

07/28/2017

Average tasks like showering, bathing and shaving can put home-harming humidity into the air in your Colfax home. There’s good news though—a simple bathroom ventilation fan can protect you from deformed wood, mold growth, damaged drywall and other issues related with a humid bathroom.

Even if you have ventilation fans in your bathrooms, do you know if they’re the right size? Are they as noiseless and energy efficient as they could be? Ackerman Heating & Air Conditioning is here to answer your questions.

Today’s bathroom ventilation fans are small and smooth and they operate more quietly and effectively than ever before. You’ll find a large range of selections, from classic fans that will get the job done to fans with integrated heat lamps, motion sensors and heat-exchanger ventilation that helps block warmed air from leaking through your ventilation. While you have a lot of bells and whistles to select from, the most important characteristic of your fan is whether or not it’s big enough to do its job.

Assessed by the cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air they transfer, a bathroom ventilation fan should be able to swap out the air in a bathroom at least eight times an hour. With a standard 8-foot ceiling, your ventilation fan should have a CFM rating at least as high as the number of square feet in your bathroom. So, if your bathroom is 5 feet by 8 feet, a CFM rating of 40 would be satisfactory.

If you have a taller ceiling, the equation gets a little more complex. You’ll want to multiply the width of the room by its height and length, divide it by 60 and multiply by 8. Or, to keep it simple, you can use HGTV’s advice for bathrooms larger than 100 square feet – determine your CFM requirements by increasing 50 CFM for every toilet; 50 CFM for each shower, bath and combo; and 100 CFM for each whirlpool.

If you’re not sure if your bathroom ventilation fan is the right size, or you know it’s come to the point for a new one, give the pros at Ackerman Heating & Air Conditioning at call at 509-397-3622. We’re here to help you ensure you have a ventilation fan that will work hard to protect your home and keep it comfy. You can even schedule an appointment with us online if that’s the most straightforward for you.

About Ackerman Heating & Air Conditioning

With more than 100 years in existence, Lennox has consistently delivered industry-leading innovation and technology while preserving stringent durability and reliability standards. The professionals at Ackerman Heating & Air Conditioning help bring those standards to Colfax so that you can always experience total home comfort. If you’re looking for a new HVAC system or even if you just have a question about what we can provide, give us a ring at 509-397-3622 or set up an appointment with us online. We’d love to hear from you.